Harthill

Group sizes in our kitchen are deliberately cosy – usually just 8 folk at a time so both you and the tutor get the most out of the session. Mary, myself and the tutors like to have fun too and as well as top drawer solid knowledge, tips and techniques you’ll find us all relaxed and good fun.

You won’t miss a thing during your time with us but just in case we have popped some cameras and plasma screens in the kitchen and demonstration area to really drive home the tips we share from our time in professional kitchens. Speaking of which we’ll let some secrets slip too and share some stories throughout the day.

The school hall has its original parquet floor and 10 foot gothic arch windows, the kitchen is where the cooks used to prepare the meals for the children and it too has huge square window so there’s plenty of natural light to enjoy.

Not really the indoor type? No worries – we have crafted a bespoke outdoor cookery area for you to enjoy. Step out of the kitchen and you’ll be on our 100 square metre barbecue terrace looking out across the Cheshire plain and up to Rawhead the highest point on the Sandstone trail. If you fancied the 20 minute walk to get there you’ll be able take in Cheshire, the Wirral peninsula, historic Liverpool, the Welsh mountains and more besides.

Back on the terrace we can really ramp up those grill skills so you get the most out of your barbecues. In addition to our own courses we are delighted to be partners with Weber the world leaders in grilling and we run courses all year round so there’s no need for those grills to be hidden away when the clocks go back.

From the terrace you’ll spot a wood fired oven made from reclaimed Cheshire red brick and keeping it company is a 1.5m fire pit with a grill and spit roast frame hand crafted by the local blacksmith who was once a pupil at the school. We’ve dubbed it the man crèche…a kind of culinary daddy day care centre, it’s not exclusive to the blokes, but it does appear to be a bit of a man magnet!